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Therizinosaurus
Therizinosaurus, also commonly dubbed The Giant Claw due to its scythe-like claws, was a species of herbivorous theropod dinosaur. Therizinosaurus ''was one of the last and largest representatives of its unique group, the Therizinosauria. Facts Over 12 meters long and 7 meters high, and weighing up to 9 tons, ''Therizinosaurus lived in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia, Asia. The claws that Therizinosaurus possessed could be as long as 70 cm-1.5 m. long and were the biggest known claws of any animal after the less-known Deinocheirus. In fact, when they were first discovered, they were thought to be ribs of a giant tortoise, and were recognized as claws only later. )]] When a single claw of a ''Therizinosaurus was first discovered sometime in the 1950's by paleontologists, the claw itself was so extraordinary that the paleontologists originally believed it to have been a single rib bone that belonged to a giant turtle, possibly Archelon. But sometime later, it was discovered that the claws were actually attached to a dinosaurs's arms. Measuring 3 m. (10 feet) long, they were considered the longest arms of any dinosaur and any creature ever found. And because of their scythe-like appearance, paleontologists had then decided to name the creature "Therizinosaurus" or "The Scythe Reptile". At first, scientist thought its claws belonged to a meat-eating dinosaur, but it turns out Therizinosaurus, having a long neck, small head, and those great claws at the front, had been a plant-eater rather than a predator, and used their huge claws to drag leaves towards their mouths. These dinosaurs also lived in herds. They were the oddest of dinosaurs: great long necks for reaching up for vegetation; pot bellies – great fermentation chambers for the tons of vegetation they had to eat; and four-toed feet (instead of the traditional three toes on other dinosaurs) to prevent the animal from sinking into any soft sand. Their huge claws weren't for killing, although they could discourage even a huge Tarbosaurus. As scary as they may have looked, therizinosaurs were gentle creatures. Therizinosaurus used its long neck to reach higher branches in trees, where it would nibble leaves with its small, beak-like mouth. Also, it could probably hook branches down with its great claws, or use them to strip bark off the tree trunks. )]] Despite it being a member of the theropod clan that consisted mainly of carnivorous dinosaurs, ''Therizinosaurus and its kind are the only members to be strictly herbivores. Despite its looks, Therizinosaurus may have also traveled in whole herds. When mating or trying to defend its self, Therizinosaurus may have stood with its arms outstretched, like a swan flapping its wings, so that it could display the size of its claws. If this failed, it may have been able to take gentle swipes at any aggressors, although the weight of the claws would have limited their use as an effective weapon. When walking, Therizinosaurus ''probably folded its arms against its body, a bit like a bird, to stop the weight of the claws from unbalancing it. With its giant claws, long neck, bulbous body and small head, ''Therizinosaurus ''was one of the strangest-looking of all the dinosaurs. In Walking With... series Chased by Dinosaurs ''The Giant Claw Therizinosaurus was the focus of this episode. Initially described as a carnivore, it was slowly depicted as a plant-eater instead (though a theropod dinosaur all the same), that lived in family groups, fed on leaves, and was armed with huge arms and claws that could fight off even a Tarbosaurus. ''Walking with Dinosaurs: Inside Their World ''Therizinosaurus is one of the viewable dinosaurs in the app. Errors *''Therizinosaurus'' probably had fur-like feathers, and not scaly skin, as in the series. *''Tarbosaurus'' was actually larger than Therizinosaurus was. *No theropod, even Therizinosaurus, had pronated hands in reality, unlike in the series. Capture d’écran 2017-09-03 à 21.03.15.png|Nigel looking to a Therizinosaurus fighting a Tarbosaurus Category:Herbivores Category:The Giant Claw animals Category:Walking with Dinosaurs: Inside Their World animals Category:Mesozoic animals Category:Cretaceous Animals Category:Animals from Asia Category:Oviparous animals Category:Herviborous Animals Category:Chased by Dinosaurs Animals Category:Herd animals Category:Feathered dinosaurs Category:Long necked animals Category:Social animals Category:Creatures in Chased by Dinosaurs